Aging Gracefully

“Age matters only when one is aging.” -- Pablo Picasso

Millions of older adults are concerned about aging gracefully and maintaining vitality.  Exercise is a key element of aging gracefully while simultaneously maintaining positive self-esteem and a productive, vigorous, and healthy lifestyle. 

It is no secret that America is aging.  As a result of unprecedented success in health promotion and maintenance, more individuals are approaching the upper limits of the human life span.  The average American lives a long life, but he or she is often sedentary, overweight, unfit, and chronically ill. 

According to experts on aging, rest is precisely what aging people do not need. Starting in middle age, people begin to gain fat and lose muscle, strength, bone, and aerobic capacity.  The risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis starts to climb.

Are you heading for the “disability zone”? This is the time span that starts when a person no longer leads a quality life and becomes increasingly dependent on others for care.  A properly designed and implemented exercise program has many physical and emotional benefits.  Don’t buy into the myth that aging is an inevitable, unstoppable process.  Although overall function will decline compared to that which you were capable of when you were 20, the most severe aspects of aging are related to inactivity and muscle loss.  An active and fit 70-year-old can have the same aerobic capacity as a sedentary unfit 25-year-old!

Resistance Training

A resistance training program can be the first step and most important part of one’s training. Building muscle today can change posture, physical appearance, speed-up the metabolism, build strong bones, result in weight loss, and maintain physical independence.  The secret to aging well: EXERCISE!

I first became interested in strength or resistance training in my early twenties.  My mother was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis and was suffering with physical limitations.  My grandmother had the same.  Knowing that it was my genetic heritage, my mother encouraged me to take Tums for calcium.  My doctor recommended weight-bearing exercise which I have been involved with most of my adult life. 

A few years ago, I had foot surgery that resulted in a cast for six weeks.  I wasn’t able to bear any weight on my foot whatsoever.  When the cast came off, my calf was completely atrophied. I started physical therapy and just as I was getting the strength back in that leg, I fell on a patch of ice and broke my other foot.  I found myself leaving the hospital with a cast again for six to eight more weeks.  By this time, I was very discouraged, and had gained unwanted pounds from lack of activity.

When the second cast came off, I decided to join a fitness class.  I started out very gingerly, and worked my way up to regular workouts.  As my muscle mass increased, fragility decreased and I realized that the health benefits of exercise are numerous. Exercise also improves your psychological, emotional health and self-esteem.

You can begin exercising at any age, with great benefit. Older adults can check out course offerings at local senior centers.  Anyone can take classes through their local Recreation Departments.  The Rocky River Senior Center offers weight workouts for building bone strength, yoga, tai chi, tap dancing, Zumba, country line dancing, Sit & Fit, and a variety of Silver Sneakers classes.  Take a class, get moving.  Fit Happens!

Deborah Bock

Deborah Bock is the Director of Senior Services for the City of Rocky River and works out of the Rocky River Senior Center. She holds a BA in Psychology, MA in Counseling, and licenses and certifications in Social Work, Energy Psychology, Reiki, Personal Training and Group Fitness.

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Volume 2, Issue 3, Posted 9:38 AM, 09.03.2014